


Nighttime Routine

by natashasbanner



Series: 30 Days of Bruce/Natasha Fluff [5]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-05
Updated: 2017-12-05
Packaged: 2019-02-10 21:11:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,282
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12920331
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/natashasbanner/pseuds/natashasbanner
Summary: Just a quiet night for Bruce and Natasha, that's the way he likes it.





	Nighttime Routine

**Author's Note:**

> This one is my favorite to write so I hope you all enjoy it as much as I do.

Bruce yawned and looked at the clock. It was getting late, but a glance at the pile of papers he still had left to review told him he wouldn’t be going to bed any time soon. 

He could hear Natasha’s voice down the hall. She was on a video call with T’Challa, official business or so that’s how it had started. It sounded like they’d finished up the business aspect of the meeting and were just catching up. According to Natasha, he and his sister were visiting the Facility to unveil some new gadgets for the team and had just arrived when she started the video call. 

He turned back to his own work. If he had to pick one thing he didn’t like about his job, it would have to be the hours of grading he had to do, especially when they cut into his nightly routine with Natasha. 

Bruce couldn’t believe how lucky he was. After the accident he’d given up hoping for a life like what he and Natasha had. He’d resigned himself to living on the run and then she’d waltzed right into his life and made herself comfortable. It hadn’t been an easy road to get to where they were, and it wasn’t always smooth sailing even now, but Bruce couldn’t imagine not having her in his life. 

Domestic life had been quite the transition for the both of them and Bruce had been worried that it had been too much too fast, but they figured it out. It started with their morning routine, breakfast together before he left for the university while she did her work for the Avengers from home. 

Their evenings had been all over the place those first couple of months. Natasha spent a lot of time running back and forth from the Avengers Facility and wouldn’t get home until well into the evening. Getting prepared for his new job had taken up much of Bruce’s time and they’d only eaten dinner together a handful of times. 

Over time, Bruce made a point to leave the university with plenty of time to eat dinner with Natasha and it seemed she did the same. Whether they cooked or ordered in, they sat down at the kitchen table and talked. Usually about their days, how things were going with the new team, how Bruce was settling to his new role as a professor or whatever popped into their heads. Like breakfast together, dinner was a grounding experience. Bruce felt more relaxed after spending that time together.

Tonight they’d parted ways after the dishes were done to finish up their work from the day, but Bruce found himself longing for a lazy evening on the couch together. With a sigh he went back to making notes on the paper he was reading. 

He’d made it through two more papers when he heard the knock on the door. Natasha was leaning against the doorframe with a tired smile on her lips. 

“How’s T’Challa?” he asked, glad for the excuse to take another break. 

“He’s good, excited about the new stuff they’ve got for the team,” she said and pushed off the wall to walk into the room. “I’m driving over tomorrow to take a look.” 

She was grinning like a kid on Christmas morning as she sat on the edge of his desk. 

“You mean play with the new toys?” he questioned, raising a teasing eyebrow. 

Natasha ignored him and tilted her head. “You should come with me.”

He let out a dry chuckle and leaned back in his chair to look up at her properly. 

“I’m afraid I can’t darling,” he said and watched the corner of her mouth twitch up at the term of endearment.

“And why is that dear,” she responded, slipping easily into their old game of role playing.

He looked pointedly at the now less intimidating stack of papers beside her. 

“Duty calls,” he grumbled, with a frown. That was his weekend. 

“Play hookey just this once. It’ll be fun.” Her tone became pleading and her bottom lip poked out a little. “For me?” 

“I’ll see what I can do,” he said, but by the smirk on Natasha’s face they both knew he would make the trip to the facility with her in the morning. How could he pass up the offer to see the new gear from Wakanda. 

“How much longer do you think you have in here?” she asked and Bruce could hear the yawn she tried to hold back. 

He glanced at the pile, over halfway finished. He’d finished two of his four classes, he just had to enter the grades before calling it a night. 

“Not long.Getting tired?” he asked. 

Natasha nodded and covered her mouth to stifle another yawn. 

“You don’t have to wait up for me,” he told her, reaching out to take her hand in his. 

She smirked and gave his hand a squeeze. “I came in to tell you goodnight.” 

Bruce chuckled and shook his head. Of course she did. 

“Goodnight, Natasha.” he said. 

She leaned down for a kiss and let go of his hand. 

“Goodnight.” 

Bruce watched her leave the room before spinning back around in the desk chair. He opened his laptop to start entering grades into the system. He could hear Natasha wandering through the house, no doubt making sure all of the lights were out and the doors were locked. One of them checked every night before bed. It was a habit they’d fallen into when the Barton kids spent the weekend with them and Bruce didn’t really question it. 

When Bruce finally hit submit on the grades he slumped back in his chair with a sigh of relief. His back was starting to ache from sitting in the desk chair for hours. He closed his laptop and pushed away from the desk. He flicked the light off on his way out and headed to their bedroom. 

The light was off when he pushed open the door and he could see Natasha already curled up on her side of the bed. She wasn’t sleeping, he knew that much. He could feel her eyes tracking him in the dark so he quickly changed into his pajamas and went into the bathroom to wash his face and brush his teeth. 

By the time he pulled back the comforter to climb into bed, he could barely keep his eyes open. Natasha was on him the second he laid down, snuggling into his side until she was practically on top of him. 

“Took you long enough,” she mumbled sleepily and moved to rest her head against his chest. 

That seemed to be her favorite spot at night. Like the steady beating of his heart lulled her to sleep. 

Bruce smiled in the darkness and wrapped an arm around her. 

“I told you you didn’t have to wait up for me,” he reminded her. 

She didn’t say anything but ran her ice cold foot up his calf in retaliation. 

“I couldn’t fall asleep,” she whispered. He could tell she was starting to drift off. “You’re warm.” 

Her breathing evened out and he knew she’d finally let herself fall asleep. 

He laid awake a few more minutes, just taking in her slow, steady breaths, the sweet smell of her shampoo under his nose, and the comforting weight of her head on his chest. He loved the moments like these the most, when her touch came easily and he could just relax into the sensation like he hadn’t imagined he ever could. It reminded him of how far they’d come and the future still open at their feet. 

He realized he was finally living again. 

**Author's Note:**

> I can be found on tumblr @natashasbanner if anyone feels like chatting about this lovely ship :)


End file.
